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New Machinery Gives McIntosh the Edge
McIntosh Timber Laminates Ltd. has recently installed new state-of-the-art equipment to enable them to provide an even more accurate grading of timber as the resource becomes more variable. The recent purchase of the newly developed A Grader uses sound waves to determine the stiffness of timber.
This technology was developed in New Zealand and ensures that McIntosh is able to consistently maintain the high quality standards that they have always delivered. Timber is defected then graded to specific grades before finger jointing. Laminations are then arranged so that the proven strength is provided in areas of greatest stress. This ensures the most effective use of the timber resource.
Along with the purchase of the A Grader, McIntosh have acquired an electronic cross cut slim-line saw which will automatically cut to length with an accuracy of + / - 0.5mm. This labour saving optimiser means less waste, less noise and has increased production by almost 50%.
The introduction of this new equipment allows engineers and designers to have even more confidence that the beams they are designing are being manufactured to their exact design specifications.
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***HSBC Business Person of the Year – Grant McIntosh,
McIntosh Timber Laminates Ltd.***
Congratulations go to Grant McIntosh who, on the evening of 23 May 2006 was announced the winner of the HSBC Business Person of the Year.
Organised by the Rotary Club of Howick in conjunction with the Howick Village Association, Uxbridge – Howick’s Creative Centre and Howick Community Board, these awards recognise those who make outstanding contributions to the community.
As Managing Director of McIntosh Timber Laminates Ltd, Grant continues the family business started by his grandfather in the 1920s; maintaining an extremely high standard of productivity.
He has led the company in many successes, both in technical innovation and the Glue Laminated Timber (McIntosh Glulam) market; the company experiencing numerous impressive design and export sales.
Among the many distinctive projects featuring McIntosh Glulam are the Ritz Carlton, Grand Hyatt & Jumeirah Hotels in Dubai, Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club and Fale Pasifika in Auckland to name a few.
Grant is also involved in community matters, playing a large part in the building of the new
Baptist
Church in Botany.
When accepting the award, Grant paid tribute to his staff, some of whom he had worked with for more than 20 years. “Without them it would be impossible to do what we do. In many cases we are like family and many of our staff live in this community.”
For further information on timber related web sites and
associations with McIntosh- - - - -
It has been our privilege to work with Scion (formerly Forest Research Institute), Standards Association of New Zealand, Building Research of New Zealand and other regulatory bodies to assist in creating industry standards and associations such as ASNZS1328, Structural Engineered Timber Manufacturers Association (SETMA) and New Zealand Timber Certification Board. The promotion and assistance of timber design has always been a priority for McIntosh. We see our function going beyond the manufacture of Glulam to provide assistance to designers who may wish to take advantage of the benefits of timber construction. Work with Auckland Engineering School, Canterbury University, FRI and consultancy practices has seen significant growth and a better understanding of the performance of Glulam. This has helped to push back the boundaries traditionally associated with timber structures and allowed us to achieve large and complex spans in Laminated Timber. The enthusiasm, innovation and initiative of such organisations as Timber Design Society are a key catalyst in maintaining the momentum in Glulam development. As members of NZ Pine Manufacturers we appreciate their effective work in establishing the international recognition of Radiata Pine.
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